Mukhtar Ansari gets custody parole for Lok Sabha polls campaigning

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh legislator Mukhtar Ansari, facing trial in a case under stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act for allegedly being a member of an organised crime syndicate, has been granted custody parole for 10 days by a Delhi court for campaigning in Lok Sabha polls.

Additional Sessions Judge Savita Rao granted custody parole to Ansari, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh's Ghoshi constituency on Quami Ekta Dal ticket.

The voting for Ghoshi seat is scheduled on May 12. The court allowed the plea filed by Ansari, who is also an accused in the 2005 murder case of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai, in which he said he was required to campaign for the polls.

A sitting legislator from UP's Mau constituency, Ansari is also facing trial here in a case under MCOCA for being a member of an organised crime syndicate run by co-accused Prem Prakash alias Munna Bajrangi.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Bajrangi in October, 2009 for allegedly threatening South Delhi businessman Ashok Tebriwal to extort Rs one crore after it intercepted their telephonic conversation.

The police had lodged an FIR against Ansari, who is said to be close to Bajrangi, after it found that he was also allegedly a part of the organised crime syndicate.

The 2005 murder case was transferred from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi by the Supreme Court last year on a plea filed by Alka Rai, wife of Krishnanand Rai.